GAME REPORT

Gaz Metan Edge Ekaterinburg To Qualify

Point guard Slobodan Dundjerski had 19 points for Gaz Metan Medias in their away win at Ekaterinburg

Gaz Metan Medias clinched a spot in the EuroChallenge Regular Season with a thrilling 97-92 triumph at Ural Ekaterinburg on Tuesday.

Beaten in the first leg last week at home, 69-67, the Romanian club did just enough in Russia to claim a three-point win on aggregate.

After going in front by as many as 14 on Tuesday for a 12-point lead overall in the tie, Gaz Metan saw the hosts close to 95-92 with nine seconds remaining on Anton Glazunov's three-ball.

Glazunov took his points haul to 26 with his fourth three-ball from six attempts which gave his team a life-line.

The visitors then allowed the door to open a little wider when Gaz Metan's Paul Graham missed two free-throws.

But Ural Ekaterinburg failed to box out Michael St. John, who grabbed the offensive rebound off the second miss.

The ball ended up in the hands off Graham with five seconds to go and once more, Ekaterinburg put him on the line.

This time, Graham sank both free-throws for the 97-92 final.

Gaz Metan shot the ball much better from long range, hitting 12 of 24 attempts while Ekaterinburg made just six of 21.

Five players hit double digits for the winners, including Graham with 26.

Deven Mitchell had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Gaz Metan, who will play in Group D against BC Khimik Yuzhne, Tartu University Rocket and JDA Dijon Basket.

The Regular season tips off on 6 November.

Dmitrii Nikolaev also weighed in with 22 points and eight rebounds in defeat.

COACH QUOTES

Quotes Ural Ekaterinburg vs. Gaz Metan Medias

Gaz Metan Medias head coach Marcel Dan Tenter"Congratulations to the hosts, they have shown us really great basketball, and the atmosphere was amazing. We corrected the mistakes we made in the first game, especially the low shooting percentage. We controlled the entire game but I am not satisfied with our play during the last three minutes."

URAL Ekaterinburg head coach Oleg Okulov"We got nervous and instead of fulfilling our plans we started to simplify the game. The opponents were precise from the perimeter, we failed to overcome them. The main positive result of our participation in the EuroChallenge is the more than 4,000 spectators who came to support their favourite team. This means that Ekaterinburg is ready for big basketball."

Gaz Metan Medias player Ivan Ivanovic "It was a very hard and tough game. We tried to control it for 40 minutes, but it was a very complicated task. During the home game in Romania we were a little bit afraid, because it was our first game in the EuroChallenge but here we were better prepared and did our best to win."

URAL Ekaterinburg player Oleg Baranov"Gaz Metan is a very strong team. We were eager to win, but unfortunately we failed, because our defence was not good enough."

92-96

00:05

8 P. Graham Free throw MADE(1/2)

92-97

00:05

8 P. Graham Free throw MADE(2/2)

QUARTER 1Q 1

QUARTER 2Q 2

QUARTER 3Q 3

QUARTER 4Q 4

COACH QUOTES

Quotes Ural Ekaterinburg vs. Gaz Metan Medias

Gaz Metan Medias head coach Marcel Dan Tenter"Congratulations to the hosts, they have shown us really great basketball, and the atmosphere was amazing. We corrected the mistakes we made in the first game, especially the low shooting percentage. We controlled the entire game but I am not satisfied with our play during the last three minutes."

URAL Ekaterinburg head coach Oleg Okulov"We got nervous and instead of fulfilling our plans we started to simplify the game. The opponents were precise from the perimeter, we failed to overcome them. The main positive result of our participation in the EuroChallenge is the more than 4,000 spectators who came to support their favourite team. This means that Ekaterinburg is ready for big basketball."

Gaz Metan Medias player Ivan Ivanovic "It was a very hard and tough game. We tried to control it for 40 minutes, but it was a very complicated task. During the home game in Romania we were a little bit afraid, because it was our first game in the EuroChallenge but here we were better prepared and did our best to win."

URAL Ekaterinburg player Oleg Baranov"Gaz Metan is a very strong team. We were eager to win, but unfortunately we failed, because our defence was not good enough."